longhorn said:

 

Hi Tracy--Glad that all is well. Wish I could send you some leftover shrimp scampi since you are fending for yourself. But yer a good caveman... heheheh... I bet you drag a good kill back to the cave all on yer own. I hope the daughter is helping you out and not too upset about Mom.

 

lindainks55 said:

 

Great news! Now, go into overdrive and git her done. ;-)

Speaking of kicking it up a notch, when Wayne and I met back in the late 70s Wayne's roommate and coworker was a man who has only ONE speed. If he got out of bed ten minutes late he was gonna be ten minutes late to work! Wayne said he was the same way at work. Skilled worker but when push came to shove and they all needed to give that extra to get it done, he had that ONE speed. He retired a couple years ago and of course retirement slowed him down so now he still has one speed it's just a slower one.

 

Julie said:

 

Glad all is well.
We're gearing up for the boy's b-day over here. Party is this weekend and I shall be invaded by almost a score of screaming teenagers. The girl portion will NOT be staying the night but most of the boys are. We will start the festivities with a scavenger hunt. They will raid our small town looking for everything from a paper clip to a receipt from the '80's or '90's to a beta tape. The big point item is a polaroid picture of their group.
We shall then go harass the fine city where I work (because I got the community center rented for free) and have pizza and open presents and play a few party games like pin the tail on something that isn't the donkey on the wall.
We shall then venture homeward and play a few rousing games of chilled water balloons (this one's a surprise for the kids but think it will be well received).
When the sun sets we'll start the flashlight tag tournament - always an exciting and well received part of the boy's parties.
The girls shall be escorted home by their parents around midnight and the boys will retire to the tent set up in our front yard. Inside shall be delights of chips, candy and pop and several horror movies to watch. (We drag out DVD player and TV)
The next morning the boys will gorge themselves on breakfast burritos and go waddling home around noon.

After which hubby and I will fall into exhausted heaps. And long afternoon naps will be taken by all.

 

Vaughn Tolle said:

 

Tracy, that's indeed good news about your wife.

I have it on good authority (college students) that one may survive for literally days on ramen noodles and Easy Mac. :-)

 

Rox said:

 

Good news is always welcome! Nice to have you back, Tracy, even though limited for a few days.

Julie, are you insane?! Seriously, what a wonderful way to celebrate a birthday.

Linda, I think my kids all have that slow mode, especially when told to hurry.

 

lindainks55 said:

 

Julie,

I need a nap just reading your description! What a lucky birthday boy to have parents who care enough to make him special!

Can adults really eat Ramen noodles? On purpose?

 

Julie said:

 

yes I often question my sanity.

The boy's birthday parties are THE birthday party of the year. We invite around 20 kids. Boy passes invites out to his friends (this year he's invited a few girls he wants to scare during flashlight tag).
EVERYONE in his class and the years surrounding want to be invited. We have parents of friends who call us up months in advance so they can reserve the date.
Everyone always has a great time and everyone wants to be invited back the following year.
This year we had a kid steal an invite from another kid so he'd get to come. Only thing is we know who boy invited and stealer wasn't on the list so that was a rather awkward conversation w/ parents when they called to RSVP.

I think next year we're planning on a costume party (since the birthday is so close to halloween).

 

Rox said:

 

I admire your insanity, Julie. I suspected the parties were the rage, and it's easy to see why. Wow.

 

Vaughn Tolle said:

 

Linda, yes, an adult can eat ramen, so long as prepared (boil the noodles, etc.). I share your doubt about the ability to eat it as I'm told the "younger set" does, namely (for lack of a better term) "raw" (that is, just out of the package).

 

Wendy said:

 

Vaughn, all I have to say to that is "gross"... don't get me wrong, I have been known to cook up a package of ramen as a side dish (I add much less water than they call for, so it winds up similar to those packaged noodle side dishes, and at least I like to tell myself it is healthier) when whatever I have made for dinner is not "enough" to satisfy the "menfolk" - but straight out of the package? EEEEWWWW...

Julie, are you insane girl? The kiddo wants Chuck E Cheese for this next birthday (he is deadset on it and no amount of cajoling to this point has changed his mind - and he's only 2!) and that alone has me dreading the whole birthday party thing.... Yikes! I am assuming by "Long Naps" you mean that you will all be comatose for about 2 days...

 

Wendy said:

 

And Tracy, Glad to hear everything went well and came up clear :)

 

Vaughn Tolle said:

 

Wendy,

For the sake of your sanity, DON'T DO IT. I speak from experience (not Chuck E. Cheese but a similar place, some 19 years ago). Bribe the kid; buy him a Ferrari, get him a call girl, I don't care, but just DON'T DO IT!!!

 

Vaughn Tolle said:

 

(Now that I'm over my PTSD attack)....

Two is just too young for that type of party (as we found out). We tried it again at age five, and it went so much better (of course, the fact that I'd consumed a fifth of Single Malt before hand might have had something to do with it.....).

 

lindainks55 said:

 

Vaughn, You gave me a good laugh with your suggestions! But from a kindred spirit with similar experiences I completely agree. Boy, those places are not the place to be! Was that similar place in the Twin Lakes Shopping Center? Can't remember the name but the "animals" put on a show and there were games and many short people running every direction, terrible tasting pizza... I think a fifth of something BEFORE was in order!

 

lindainks55 said:

 

Anyone heard anything from Danny? So soon after his new daughter had tests makes me worry. I AM A MOM! I worry and yes, about things I can't change.

Danny, even if you're busy, stop to say hi, me and mine are OK. Please.

 

Vaughn Tolle said:

 

Linda, same company, different location. The one we "used" was located by the Target to the West of Towne East (the building is now a Red Lobster). Terrible pizza; cardboard with a bit of cheese, etc. on it would have tasted better.......

 

lindainks55 said:

 

Is anyone a long time Wichitan and old enough to remember Shakeys? Located on Oliver barely south of 13th, it had greeeeat pizza! It was the place to be when I was in high school and I was lucky enough to be there several nights! I think it went on to be another pizza place of a name I don't recall, but the heydays were in the early 60s. It was a older kids place - we were no longer short people and our movements a little less erratic.

 

Vaughn Tolle said:

 

Linda, I remember Shakeys. Interestingly, there was one in Indiana (don't recall the town) when we were there in the early to mid 1970s; brought back a lot of memories. Speaking of pizza places (although these are/were most definitely NOT in Wichita): best pizza I've ever had was at the Campus Hideaway in Lawrence; their Canadian Bacon pizza was tops. Then, venturing on a few years, a "franchise" operation in Indiana; Noble Roman's. Good stuff. Campus Hideaway is no more; I've no idea on the health, or lack thereof, of Noble Roman's.

 

gweltha.wkcsc said:

 

I remember Shakey's and the music they played. They had about a gazillion different type of pizza you could choose from.

 

Rox said:

 

Wow, Linda, I was going to ask if anyone remembered Shakeys, but had to run an errand before I could.

We used to stop at Shakeys on west Pawnee after going to the Battle of the Bands at the Cotillion on Sundays when I was freshman and sophomore. I also remember going there on my 18th birthday with friends. We ordered a pitcher of beer. (Hey, I was 18 and could drink legally!! LOL) But my friend and I hated the taste of beer, so we walked across the street to the grocery store in Westway and bought tomato juice and a church key and took them back to Shakeys to make red beer. I would die rather than do something like that now.

 

Wendy said:

 

Vaughn,

I think the place you are referring to is Showbiz Pizza (MUCH better than Chuck E Cheese in the entertainment division, food, well neither one of them are winning any prizes) personally, I thought he was a little young as well, he will be 3 on this next BDAY, but some friends of his dad's had their son's birthday Party there, and now Britton is just CONVINCED that is where his must be... and that party was nearly three months ago - so anyone who tells you that young children don't remember things should meet my son, who has the memory of an elephant...

 

Vaughn Tolle said:

 

Yep, Wendy, should have done some simple arithmetic. I agree that children of that age (based upon my offspring, many nieces and nephews and others I've been around) have memories of an elephant, especially of things that have happened that are new experiences; seems to occur about age 2 1/2 and WILL become more impressive through graduation from high school. :-) Yep, Showbiz Pizza; thanks.

With three year olds, my "advice" remains the same; there is, given the increased bodily maturity, even better chance that you will regret not downing a fifth of something in advance. Plan on a minimum of three days recuperation.....

 

lindainks55 said:

 

I had no idea there were more Shakey locations. I went before I could legally go, many did. There was always a long line on weekends. I never tasted beer until I was around 30. I was a very slow bloomer. Truth is everything I tasted I didn't like and I couldn't see a reason to drink something that didn't taste good. I used to tell people I had tasted more drinks than a drunk. Everywhere I went the host was positive they had a drink I was gonna love. About the time I met Wayne in the late 70s I began actually ordering a drink and by nursing it all night long could drink the whole thing (ice could be added several times). Today, Wayne tells that he put me in training and I was a natural. lol

 

Vaughn Tolle said:

 

What? No nefarious host ever plied you with the infamous "sloe gin fizz", Linda?

 

Wendy said:

 

Oh yes, Luckily, That weekend is his FATHERS weekend, so I can go home from the party to peace and quiet - Daddy will have to deal with the sugar high... :)

 

lindainks55 said:

 

Well, you must remember that without the excuse of drinking I was pregnant and married at an extremely young age. Shoot, I wish I could have some excuse! It was later when I was once again single that the plying was tried. I was much wiser by then, also cantankerous, independent to the extreme, cautious, suspicious, determined to stay in control... lol I don't think I've improved to this day! I'm still all those negatives.

 

Vaughn Tolle said:

 

"....cantankerous, independent to the extreme, cautious, suspicious, determined to stay in control..." hmm, Linda, I begin to form the thought that you are, in some way, related to my wife......

 

lindainks55 said:

 

generational sisters who have lived and learned?

 

Vaughn Tolle said:

 

Perhaps so, Linda, perhaps so, although the life experiences are different. I suspect the fact my wife was an "Air Force Brat" did much to contribute in her case (although I wouldn't have it any other way).